Glenburgie 10 Year Distillery Labels (Gordon & MacPhail)

The aroma has a light, somewhat tart, unusual fruitiness along with some rubber. There's a good amount of herbal and slightly vegetal character on the nose too. The fruitiness in the aroma is mostly raisin with traces of apple and apricot. Floral vanilla is also present in the aroma, as is a hint of rich, nutty waxiness. The taste is quite harsh, which isn't surprising. However, the balance is actually quite good. There's a lot of waxiness on the palate, similar to Clynelish 14. It's light with some fruitiness. It's acceptable for a 10-year-old, but it's far from being an outstanding whisky. There's a touch of lemon rind, but it's not overpowering. Malt and vanilla are also present. It's good for a 10-year-old and is somewhat drinkable, but it's not a great whisky. The specific flavors work together reasonably well, somewhat like Oban, but I don't love it. I would certainly drink it if it were offered. I considered rating it higher, but the bitterness comes with a slight (very slight) hint of rancidity, so 12 seems appropriate. Kudos for performing so well at this age, but it's not very good.

Nose: Dried fruit, berries, cacao (reminiscent of a certain candy bar with fruit and nuts), fortified wine, wood shavings, syrupy sweetness Palate: A bit light and diluted, notes of sweet fortified wine, baked goods, cocoa, gentle pepper, citrus Finish: A balance of sugary and tart like a berry, with lingering pepper. Quite subtle and fleeting Pleasant aroma. No alcohol harshness. As the level drops, the cocoa flavors intensify. It’s quite enjoyable. The first sip was very diluted, making me question if I’d actually added water. The conclusion is subtle and brief, but that could be seen as a good thing as it avoids any unpleasant bitterness or puckering. I’m very fond of it, despite lacking any remarkable characteristics that would prompt surprise or recognition of a classic profile. It’s a simply pleasant dram. Perhaps that’s the standard profile for this distillery.

Nose: subtle dried grape with touches of sherry. Palate: rather full, consistently dried grape, nectar, malt, dehydrated fruit, but sadly with a trace of initial "corked" that spoils it all. Finish: brief, mild, with the corked flavor that thankfully vanishes here but yields to an equally displeasing tartness. A mild spirit, without any notable positive characteristic, quite the opposite... Rating 3.00

Slightly floral with a hint of raisin from the Sherry cask, but mostly a strong alcohol presence on the nose. The palate has subtle citrus (meyer lemons), malt, and vanilla. The texture is decent, but the finish is brief. Regrettably, this whisky lacks depth. Perhaps it requires more time to mature or would be better suited for a quality blended Scotch.

8/14 My tasting focused on the oak cask, not sherry. It's mediocre -- I wouldn't refuse it, but I wouldn't ask for it. Innocuous aroma. The palate tastes of alcohol. The finish is an alcoholic burn.

I only had a sample of Glenburgie 10 at a whiskey festival, but I'm eager to try it again. It has sweet, spicy qualities and a very pleasing finish.